To turn silent mode on iPhone 13 on, flip the physical Ring/Silent switch located on the left side of the device toward the back of the phone. Silent mode on iPhone 13 means your iPhone won’t ring or play alerts or other sound effects, though it may still vibrate.
Where is the silent mode on iPhone 13?
The silent mode control on iPhone 13 is the physical Ring/Silent switch on the left side of the device, above the volume buttons. This is the only control Apple provides for turning silent mode on or off for iPhone 13, there is no Action button, and no toggle inside the Settings app or Control Center works for this model.
How to turn silent mode on
- Locate the Ring/Silent switch on the left side of your iPhone 13, above the volume buttons.
- Flip the switch toward the back of the iPhone (away from the screen).
- Confirm silent mode is active by checking that the switch shows an orange indicator. When the orange is visible, silent mode is on.
How to turn silent mode off
- Flip the switch toward the front of the iPhone (toward the screen).
- Check that the orange indicator is no longer visible, which means the iPhone has returned to ring mode and will play all sounds again.
Why does my iPhone 13 still make sounds in silent mode?
Silent mode on iPhone 13 does not block every sound. Apple documents several exceptions that can still play through the built-in speaker:
- Alarms set in the Clock app
- Audio apps such as Music, Podcasts, or streaming services
- Games that play audio
- Region-specific sounds like Camera shutter, Voice Memos playback, and Emergency Alerts (depending on your country or region). In some countries or regions, Camera, Voice Memos, and Emergency Alerts sounds may still play even when the Ring/Silent switch is set to silent.
If you want to prevent vibration while silent, you can adjust the vibration settings on your phone inside Settings > Sounds & Haptics. For instance, you might want to turn on vibrate on phone for ring mode but disable it for silent mode, or vice versa, depending on your preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does iPhone 13 have an Action button?
No. Apple’s support pages state that only models with an Action button (such as iPhone 15 Pro and later) use that button for silent mode control. iPhone 13 uses only the physical Ring/Silent switch.
How can I visually confirm silent mode is on?
Look at the Ring/Silent switch on the left side of the phone. When the switch shows an orange indicator, silent mode is active. When no orange is visible, the phone is in ring mode.
Can I turn on silent mode from the Control Center on iPhone 13?
No. Apple’s current support documentation lists Control Center silent mode control only for models with an Action button. On iPhone 13, you must use the physical Ring/Silent switch.
Is there a way to schedule silent mode on iPhone 13?
There is no built-in schedule for the Ring/Silent switch. However, you can use the Do Not Disturb feature (accessible in Settings or Control Center) to silence calls and notifications at set times, which works independently of the physical silent mode switch.
Does silent mode stop my iPhone from vibrating?
Not necessarily. You can change this behavior in Settings > Sounds & Haptics by adjusting the vibration settings for both ring mode and silent mode separately.
For the wider topic, see vibration settings on your phone.
